e quietly took her
punishment and was soon restored to good nature. Good-hearted Souwanas then
speedily responded to the call for a story. But the little Souwanaquenapeke
must be, if awake, in his arms, or, if asleep, in a little hammock or
native cradle beside him.

"What is it to be about to-day?" asked the old man, as the children, full
of eager anticipation, drew a couple of chairs up before him.

After some discussion Souwanas decided to tell them the Nanahboozhoo story
of how he lessened the power of the rattlesnakes to do harm.

"Nanahboozhoo, in starting off one day from his grandmother's wigwam, had
put on the disguise of a fine young hunter. He had not gone many miles on
his journey before he came to a little tent on the edge of the forest where
he found a young Indian mother full of grief over her sick child.
Nanahboozhoo could not but feel very sorry for her, especially when he
heard her story that a snake had crawled noiselessly into her tent and had
bitten her little girl while she slept. Nanahboozhoo felt such pity, both
for the weeping mother and the bitten child, that at once he set to work to
counteract the sad doings of the snake. He hurriedly went into the forest,
and there finding a certain plant he said, 'From this day forward the root
of this plant shall be a remedy for all people against the bites of
snakes.'

"Then Nanahboozhoo showed the mother that the roots were to be pounded and
made into a drink and a poultice. The glad mother quickly carried out his
instructions and the little girl was soon well again. The Indians have ever
since been very thankful to Nanahboozhoo for letting them know of this
plant, which they still use for such purposes and which they call
snakeroot. Nanahboozhoo remained until he saw that the little girl was
quite recovered. Then he said:

"'Now I will fix that snake so that he will not be able to do so much harm
in the future.'

"Then going out he caught the king of the snakes and gave him a great
scolding for the meanness of that one of his family which had crawled into
the tent of the Indian mother and so cruelly bitten that little girl while
she slept. Then getting very angry, for Nanahboozhoo was very
quick-tempered, he said:

"'Snakes, like other things, have the right to live. They are given their
place in the world, and their work. They are to keep down the mice, rats,
frogs, toads, and other things that might become too numerous. They have
their poisons